Gotta Go? Then Go! Why Holding It Is Bad for You

Ever had to go pee, but decided to hold off on running to the restroom in favor of finishing a phone call, project, or maybe because the movie on TV was just too good to interrupt? Well, what might seem pretty harmless actually could be bad for the health of your bladder, say experts. Here's why...

Your body is trying to tell you something, so listen up! Holding your urine in for too long when you feel the need to go can have a damaging effect on your bladder says Anthony Smith, MD, professor and chief of urology at the University of New Mexico. Your bladder, he explains, is like a Slinky, and the more urine inside, the more it stretches out and loses its bounce. "The bladder can develop a chronic overdistension--a chronic emptying problem," he says. This can lead to incontinence and other urinary issues.